About Jin Shin Jyutsu—An Ancient Form of Healing

Jin Shin Jyutsu, an ancient Japanese form of healing, was rediscovered in the early 1900’s by Jiro Murai and brought to America in the 1950’s by Mary Burmeister. It is a form of acupressure that can help your body release tension and pain by balancing the energy flow and replenishing mental and physical energies.

Imagine that your body is made up of rivers that are full of energy. (Eastern medicine calls these pathways meridians or channels.) When all is going well and your body is functioning smoothly, the rivers run at full capacity and the current is regular and stable. In this picture the balanced movement of energy in the rivers allows the cells to receive the necessary nutrients and oxygen and all the toxins to be released. The energy pathways literally feed life into our bodies and we experience healthy, strong, balanced, “happy” bodies.

When something impacts the body – stress, anxiety, tension, injury, trauma (accident, surgery, emotional), daily habits, ailments – our bodies react by creating obstacles that block the flow of energy in one or more of the pathways, causing stagnant pools. This stagnation can eventually create disharmony in the entire energy flow. The energy “level” of the river falls and the current slows. The result – the cells receive less nutrients and oxygen, and toxins accumulate.

We feel this stagnation and depletion of energy as pain, tightness, “knots” of tension, inflammation, loss of vitality, achiness, fatigue, allergies, stress, emotional distress, etc. If the disharmony is not reversed or removed, the symptoms can cause the blockages (beaver dams) to become bigger obstacles and to cross over to other pathways. What to do? Dismantle the beaver dams so the discomfort releases, the energy balances, and all systems work together as a balanced unit.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a subtle and gentle form of healing and wellness care that is practiced by placing the fingertips on designated points to harmonize and restore the energy flow. Holding these points in combination releases accumulated tension and reminds the body of its natural balance. When there is balance and harmony, the body is brought back to its full potential. New body habit, new body memory, can be created by changing the body’s old pattern. Our bodies are true miracles, and changes can take place if we give them a chance to know peace and harmony and balance. When mind, body and spirit are in balance we can truly recognize the wisdom of the body, interpret the messages, and restore harmony.

Jin Shin Jyutsu can be used to maintain daily balance, to address chronic health projects, and to deal with the shock of trauma (physical, mental or emotional). It can help to prevent colds and flu from taking hold, to strengthen the immune system and to harmonize hormonal imbalances. Receiving Jin Shin Jyutsu is a non-intrusive, gentle way to bring balance and healing into your life. It also offers a way to empower oneself. Through Jin Shin Jyutsu and other acupressure methods, we can “work” on ourselves by using points and flows that help to relieve bothersome symptoms and maintain daily balancing.